In the case of tomographic X-ray imaging, such as in particular computed tomography or tomosynthesis, an object undergoing examination must be irradiated from various directions so that a three-dimensional image data set can be generated. This is typically done using an X-ray emitter, which can broadly speaking be regarded as a point source of X-rays, and a relatively large detector. The X-ray emitter and the detector are rotated about the object undergoing examination for the purpose of acquiring image data.
Further, X-ray devices have been developed in which the detector is made smaller for cost reasons. In configurations of this kind, however, generally speaking it is no longer possible to illuminate or irradiate the entire region of interest that is to be acquired using only a single X-ray emitter.
For this reason, EP 2 378 974 B1 proposes an X-ray device for so-called inverse computed tomography in which there is provided only one detector, with a relatively small detector surface. For the purpose of irradiating the region of interest, a plurality of X-ray emitters are provided in an arrangement equidistant from one another. The X-ray emitters may be connected up sequentially, individually or in groups.